UnionBank partners with Soirée by Retail Lab to support local entrepreneurs

UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank) has renewed its partnership with Soirée by Retail Lab, one of Metro Manila’s most popular bazaars, for a full-year pact to spotlight local businesses.

The partnership kicked off with the Summer Soirée Bazaar on May 16 to 17 at The Fifth Rockwell, Makati City, followed by the Super Soirée Sale on Sept. 18 to 20, 2026. For the Christmas season, two Holiday Soirées will take place on Dec. 12 to 13, then on Dec. 18 to 20 at SMX Convention Center Aura.

All four events will feature hundreds of local negosyantes, providing them with the opportunity to showcase their products to a broader market and grow their ventures through UnionBank’s business solutions.

“Our year-long partnership with Soirée reaffirms our commitment to supporting homegrown businesses and highlighting their intrinsic role as the backbone of the economy,” UnionBank’s Institutional Segment Marketing Head Dino Velasco said. “UnionBank’s mission is to empower Filipino negosyantes with the financial tools to help them build and grow their businesses, while also unlocking opportunities while enhancing the customer journey.”

UnionBank and Soirée by Retail Lab’s 2026 partnership builds on its successful slate of events in 2025. In the Super Soirée Sale last October 2025 at The Fifth at Rockwell, over 10,000 shoppers supported local businesses seamlessly through UnionBank’s innovative payment solutions.

“As our shopper base continues to grow, so does the need for scale, efficiency, and innovation,” Soirée Co-Founder and Managing Director Claudine Paulino said. “UnionBank’s mission to support SMEs has helped us provide larger venues, higher foot traffic, and more brands — reinforcing Soirée’s role as a key marketplace for emerging and established Filipino entrepreneurs,” said Soirée Co-Founder Rosanna Aranaz.

At the bazaars, entrepreneurs can seamlessly manage business transactions through the UB Negosyante app. The pioneering platform features a QRPH-enabled system, which allows business owners to generate QR codes for easy payment collection, helping them focus on growing their businesses. As a special perk, the first 100 UnionBank debit or credit card holders and UB Online users will enjoy free entrance to the event.

Aspiring entrepreneurs can learn more about UnionBank’s offerings for negosyantes at the events. Among these is the UnionBank BizStarter Account, an entry-level checking account that lowers barriers to banking with a required initial deposit of only P5,000.

For businesses that need additional support, UnionBank offers Business Line, a revolving credit line that provides small and medium enterprises with access to up to P10 million for various purposes such as expansion or additional working capital.

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